Donald Trump claims that his power is limited only by himself

President Donald Trump says he does not feel constrained by any law or international norm when it comes to exercising power. That was his response when asked about his authority to use U.S. military force during an interview with The New York Times published last Thursday.

“Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me,” Trump said.

President Trump: “I don’t need international law”

When pressed on whether he has a duty to respect international legal frameworks or a global balance of power, Trump dismissed the premise entirely.

“I don’t need international law,” he said, adding that the United States would serve as its own referee. “It depends what your definition of international law is,” he continued, in what amounted to one of the clearest statements yet of his worldview.

His comments come amid a series of aggressive policy signals, including a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, the removal of Venezuela’s president last weekend, his stated desire to acquire Greenland for “national security” reasons, and a recent warning to Mexico about extending U.S. attacks on Mexican drug cartels onto land.

Trump casts doubt on NATO’s value

Asked whether his top priority was securing Greenland or preserving NATO, Trump declined to give a direct answer. Instead, he suggested that the transatlantic alliance is effectively useless without U.S. leadership.

“That’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success,” Trump said. “I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do, whether you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document.”

American threat to Colombia is “real,” president says

During the interview, Trump also held an unofficial phone call with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, amid repeated threats from Trump to take action against Colombia.

“Well, we are in danger,” Petro had earlier told reporters. “Because the threat is real. It was made by Trump.”

Oil, Venezuela, and rebuilding plans

On Venezuela, Trump said he was “getting along very well” with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and claimed the United States would take control of the country’s oil resources.

“We will rebuild it in a very profitable way,” Trump said. “We are going to bring down oil prices, and we are going to give money to Venezuela, which desperately needs it.”

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